Why travel to Benin? What surprises can such an adventure bring? How to apply for Benin visa? How much does a Benin visa cost? Many questions arise when preparing a trip to Benin to make the most of the greatest number of experiences to learn from a multi-ethnic conglomerate that makes this part of the Gulf of Guinea the desired object for anthropology enthusiasts and the most extreme cultural and religious diversity. Answering them is essential to assimilate and succeed in planning a trip very different from any other that has nothing to do with visiting monuments and that requires taking into account aspects such as Benin visa requirements.
Benin visa policy
According to Benin visa policy, the countries that can obtain an e-visa are the following: • Afghanistan • Albania • Andorra • Antigua and Barbuda • Argentina • Australia • Austria • Azerbaijan • Bahamas • Bahrain • Bangladesh • Barbados • Belarus • Belgium • Belize • Bhutan • Bolivia • Bosnia and Herzegovina • Brazil • Brunei Darussalam • Bulgaria • Cambodia • Canada • Chile • China • Colombia • Costa Rica • Croatia • Cuba • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Dominica • Dominican Republic • Ecuador • El Salvador • Estonia • Fiji • Finland • France • Georgia • Germany • Greece • Grenada • Guatemala • Guyana • Honduras • Hungary • Iceland • India • Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Ireland • Israel • Italy • Jamaica • Japan • Jordan • Kazakhstan • Kiribati • Kosovo • Kuwait • Kyrgyzstan • Laos • Latvia • Lebanon • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Macao • Malaysia • Maldives • Malta • Marshall Islands • Mexico • Micronesia • Moldova • Monaco • Mongolia • Montenegro • Myanmar • Nauru • Nepal • Netherlands • New Zealand • Nicaragua • North Korea (DPRK) • North Macedonia • Norway • Oman • Pakistan • Palau • Palestine • Panama • Papua New Guinea • Paraguay • Peru • Philippines • Poland • Portugal • Qatar • Romania • Russia • Saint Kitts and Nevis • Saint Lucia • Samoa • San Marino • Saudi Arabia • Serbia • Singapore • Slovakia • Slovenia • Solomon Islands • South Korea • Spain • Sri Lanka • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines • Suriname • Sweden • Switzerland • Syria • Taiwan • Tajikistan • Thailand • Timor-Leste (East Timor) • Tonga • Trinidad and Tobago • Turkey • Turkmenistan • Tuvalu • Ukraine • United Arab Emirates • United Kingdom • United States of America • Uruguay • Uzbekistan • Vanuatu • Holy See (Vatican) • Venezuela • Vietnam • Yemen
Benin visa requirements
Obtaining the visa is extremely quick and easy since it has an agile online petition system. You have to enter and fill the Benin visa application form on the official website. Once it has been completed and paid the Benin e visa fees, this document is issued within a period of approximately 48 hours with a validity period that begins from the moment it is issued. The Benin visa requirements are the following: • Passport with at least six months of validity at the time of entry. • Your passport must have two blank pages to stamp on your entry and exit. • You must prove that you have the financial means to support your trip (statements of accounts or employer letters). • You must specify if the purpose of your trip is tourism, business or transit, and based on your response, you must provide information such as the flight ticket, invitation letter or hotel reservation proof. • You will not stay more than 30 days/90 days (with the extension) in the territory. • You will not carry out paid activities while you are in the territory. • You must show a photocopy of your electronic visa and the QR with the questions regarding public health.
How to apply for Benin visa?
The Benin e visa application is very easy, and you can do it 100% online in a matter of minutes. You must provide personal information and have your passport at hand to verify that the information corresponds perfectly as in your travel document when completing the Benin visa application form. Also, you should answer some questions regarding your health. If you have a trip to Benin planned, I recommend that you send your Benin e visa application at least 10 days before your trip. However, if you are in a hurry, on the website, you will see an option that says "Urgent", if you select it, you will be able to receive it in less than 5 business days, but this service will have an additional cost. Once the visa application has been accepted, and the document has been sent (it has a barcode), it must be printed (I recommend bringing a couple of copies just in case) because that is what they ask for at the airport when leaving or entering as well as at the corresponding land border. That is the official visa, not the stamp that the Beninese authorities put in the passport and that only reflects that you have entered or left the country.
How much does a Benin visa cost?
The Benin e visa cost will depend on the visa type you select. Let’ see below the different options: • The 30 days visa with single entry, the Benin e visa cost is USD 50 + The service Benin e visa fees is USD 29. • The 30 days visa with multiple entries, the Benin e visa cost is USD 75 + The service Benin e visa fees is USD 29. • The 90 days visa with multiple entries, the Benin e visa cost is USD 100 + The Benin e visa fees is USD 29. The official website offers an online payment system, but in case you have problems or do not have a credit or debit card, you can personally approach the Embassy of Benin in your country of origin or residence and complete the payment there. Additional information about Benin:
What is the currency used in Benin?
In Benin, the West African CFA Franc (XOF) is used and has a stable value of 655,957 CFA = €1. It can be exchanged at airports, banks or exchange houses at an approximate value that ranges between 640 and 655 for € 1. Are euros accepted in Benin? They generally accept the European currency in most transactions, be it in a restaurant or in a local store that sells crafts. If there is money left over, they will give you the rest in CFAs. Also, there are ATMs in the main towns of Benin, even in not too big cities. And they usually have enough cash. So taking money is not a problem. What is usually less common is the use of a credit card, except in high-end hotels and restaurants, where they do accept them.
Are there mandatory vaccinations to travel to Benin?
To travel to Benin, the yellow fever vaccine is mandatory. Although it is not the most usual thing to ask travellers, neither at the airport, nor when applying for a visa, nor at border crossings, nor controls, the legislation in this regard is decisive, and it should not be skipped under any circumstances. And even more so to be responsible enough to travel as protected as we can. Therefore, you must carry with you the international vaccination certificate (yellow card) where this vaccine is reflected. As for the recommended vaccines, you would have those for Typhoid fever (there are three pills and lasts for two years), tetanus, hepatitis A and B, meningitis and VERY IMPORTANT, you have to carry out malaria prophylaxis since there is the presence of the same in Benin. Therefore, it is advisable before a trip of this type to pay a visit to the corresponding International Vaccination Center and inform us accordingly. The treatment of malaria (whether with Malarone or another medicine) is one pill a day, which is started one or two days before travelling to Benin and during the entire stay of the trip and the week after the return. What does not remove the basic prevention with mosquito repellants and use long sleeves in humid places. Also, the COVID-19 vaccine certificate and PCR negative test are required.
When to travel to Benin?
Between November and mid-April, there is the least rainy season in this part of the world. The intensity of the same increases from then on, and between July and August, the rains are more constant, especially in the north of the country. These months, being rainy, are more benevolent in the south of the country, where June is much worse. In the dry season, for obvious reasons, the roads are better, and it is easier to coincide in festivities or celebrations in the different towns than in the rest of the year. But if it coincides in a rainier period, at least many greener and lush landscapes will be won. And that it rains does not mean that it does it all day. In Benin, there are strong storms for a couple of hours a day, but it does not rain all day.
